Author: Christiana Augustine

Facts About the Origin of Christmas and History of Some Christmas Traditions

In the early years of Christianity the main holiday was Easter. In the 4th Century church officials decided to have the birth of Jesus celebrated as a holiday and Pope Julius I chose the date of December 25 for Christmas. The holiday, initially called the Feast of the Nativity, spread to England by the end of the 6th Century and to Scandinavia by the end of the 8th Century.

Church leaders instituted Christmas during winter because that time of year was popular for the celebrations of many pagan festivals. The hope was that Christmas would also become a holiday that would gain much popularity. The church leaders achieved the goal of having Christmas celebrations, become popular during the winter solstice, but they were unable to control other pagan-like celebrations during Christmas. Believers would attend church on Christmas and then participate later in raucous and drunken celebrations.

The celebration of Christmas in Europe changed in the early 17th Century when Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans gained power in England in 1645. To remove decadent behavior from the society, Cromwell cancelled Christmas. The Puritans noted that the Bible doesn’t mention any birth date for Jesus. Christmas celebrations returned in England around 1649 when Charles II was restored to the throne.

Christmas was not a holiday in early America because the Pilgrims who came to America had even stricter beliefs than Cromwell and the Puritans. Christmas celebrations were even barred in Boston from 1659 to 1681. Anyone caught participating in any event or activity related to Christmas had to pay a fine.

After the American Revolution it became unpopular to take part in English customs and Christmas again lost popularity. Consequently, Legislators in Congress did business on Christmas Day in 1789. It wasn’t until June 26, 1870 that Christmas was declared a federal holiday.

Christmas in the United States gained popularity as a holiday period during the 19th Century. It also changed at that time to become more family-centered rather than being carnival-like.

Many activities related to celebrating Christmas as we know it now evolved from cultures in Europe, before Christianity started. They would hang evergreen branches over their doors and windows because evergreens were believed to ward off witches, ghosts, evil spirits and illness.

Among common items used in Christmas decorations are the holly and the mistletoe. Both are used primarily in wreaths and garlands. The Druids started the tradition of using the mistletoe as decorative items to celebrate the winter season. They believed the mistletoe would bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. They also believed that it had a healing quality and could be used for everything from healing wounds to increasing fertility.

In Scandinavia, the mistletoe was seen as a plant of peace and harmony and was associated with the goddess of love. This association is probably what led to the custom of kissing under the mistletoe.

In the Victorian period, the English also would hang mistletoe from ceilings and in doorways during holidays. The habit developed that if someone was standing under the mistletoe, someone else in the room would kiss that person. Such behavior was not generally seen in Victorian society.

The use of the mistletoe in Christmas celebrations was once banned by the church because of its associations with pagan traditions, and the use of holly was suggested as a substitute.

Poinsettias are another traditional decorative flower used at Christmas. It is native to Mexico and is named after Joel Poinsett, who was the first U.S ambassador to Mexico and who brought the plants to America in 1828. Mexicans believe the plants were a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem and that’s one reason they are associated with Christmas.

Sending greeting cards during Christmas and the holidays is as prevalent today as the custom of giving gifts. Religious pictures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, the angels, shepherds and Wise Men are traditionally placed on Christmas cards. Some cards today also include pictures of Santa Claus, winter scenery, Christmas trees and gift packages.

The idea of Christmas greeting cards started in Britain in the late 1830s when John Calcott Horsley started to produce small cards that had festive scenes and a holiday greeting written inside. Similar cards were also being made in the United States at about the same time by R.H. Pease, in Albany, New York, and Louis Prang, who was a German immigrant. The tradition of sending the greeting cards during Christmas gained popularity in both countries about 10 years later when new postal delivery services started.

One final tidbit; the shortened form Xmas for Christmas has been popular in Europe since the 1500s. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word ‘Xristos’ which means Christ.

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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Facts-About-the-Origin-of-Christmas&id=5023428] Facts About the Origin of Christmas

By John C. Maxwell

It happens all the time.

Successful leaders- people with great business acumen, great teams and great vision- are moving along, growing their companies when, all of a sudden, they fall flat on their faces.

Their businesses start hemorrhaging money. Their best people start jumping ship. Their families start falling apart.

And they sit at their desks with their heads in their hands wondering, “How did this happen?”

I’ll tell you how it happened. They were blown up by a problem they never saw coming.

I call these problems “leadership landmines” because unless you’re consciously looking for them, they’re nearly impossible to spot. They’re buried in the grind of daily life, quietly waiting to injure and perhaps even destroy the next unsuspecting leader who steps on them.

Before I go on, I need to tell you that what I’m writing is based on personal experience. At one time or another in my career, I’ve stepped on landmines like the ones I’m about to describe. In some cases, I even have the scars to prove it.

If you’re moving and active, you’re bound to have a painful encounter with a landmine every now and then. It’s just the nature of leadership. But there are certain landmines that will absolutely wipe you out if you’re not careful, and those are the ones that really deserve our attention.

A friend once told me, “If I could kick the person most responsible for most of my problems, I would not be able to sit down for a week.” From my own life and the lives of the leaders I’ve observed over the years, I have found that to be absolutely right. Most leaders I watch don’t need to worry about the competition beating them. Instead, they need to be concerned about doing something stupid in the race and disqualifying themselves.

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By John C. Maxwell

Sometimes you have a minute to make a difference, sometimes you have a few seconds to make a difference. If you are lucky, you have an hour or maybe a day or two to make a difference. Time crunches in on you when a disaster like the terrorist attack on September 11th strikes. At that time, leadership emerges. Whether it is your greatest hour or your worst is up to you.

In every age, there comes a time when a leader must come forward to meet the needs of the hour. Therefore, there is no potential leader who does not have the opportunity to make a positive difference in society. Tragically, there are times when a leader does not rise to the hour.

The following are seven leadership practices seen in times of crisis:

Stand up and be seen.

Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. The same goes for leadership. This is not the time to lock yourself away in strategy sessions. It is time to be visible.

Embrace brutal optimism.

In the end, the best leaders combine two countervailing messages. Jim Collins, a management thinker and the author of “Good to Great”, sometimes describes this as the “Churchill paradox.” On the one hand was the Prime Minister’s grim promise of “blood, toil, tears, and sweat” in the near term. On the other was his upbeat certainty that England would prevail “however long and hard the road may be.”

Stick to the facts.

Nothing is scarier than a leader who offers reassurances that fly in the face of the facts. Few believed Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill when he cheerfully predicted a quick economic recovery, nor did Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson inspire trust when he speculated that the first anthrax victim got the disease by drinking from a stream.

Tell a story in a statement.

Abraham Lincoln’s story in 1861:

“The Union stands for liberty, secession would destroy the Union, and therefore secession is a threat to liberty.”

Winston Churchill’s story in 1942:

“This is not the end; it is not even the beginning of the end, though it is perhaps the end of the beginning.”

George W. Bush’s story in 2001:

“They may not come to justice, but we will bring justice to them.”

The bottom line comes second.

We should not have to tell you what comes first. “The most important thing is to have people know that they’re secure and cared about – that they’re not just cogs,” says Dee Soder, an advisor to top executives
and the founder of the CEO Perspective Group in New York City.

Link the ordinary to the extraordinary.

In the wake of events, employees are apt to ask themselves searching questions about their careers and
priorities. With national security at stake, the thought goes, how important can my little job be? Probably
not as important as the work of firefighters and Army Rangers, granted. However, creative leaders find ways to connect the humdrum of people’s jobs with the larger causes on their minds.

Do not overreach.

You have done everything right, you have earned your leadership merit badge, and now your people are giving you a standing ovation. Next piece of advice: They are not really cheering for you. They are cheering for themselves – and for the group’s ability to unite and persevere under threat. Lose sight of that, and you violate the delicate compact between leaders and led.

I think as you reflect on these seven practices, it’ll help you to be a better leader to other people who are depending on you to walk slowly through the crowd and make a difference.

This article provided by [http://www.christianbusinessdaily.com]ChristianBusinessDaily.com – The Online Network for Christians in Business.  Your source for news, articles, and commentary from a biblical perspective.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Leadership-Practices-in-Times-of-Crisis&id=452921] Leadership Practices in Times of Crisis

By K Janz

Fact # 1

The Protestant Bible in use today contains 66 Books. 39 of the books are in the Old Testament and 27 are found in the New Testament.

Fact # 2

Most of the Old Testament is written in Hebrew, the language spoken by the Israelites. Except for a few words and sentences, the New Testament was composed in Greek, the common language in the Hellenistic world.

Fact # 3

Although the Bible was written over a period of about 1400 years, its text has come to us in a remarkable state of preservation. This preservation was possible because of the large number of manuscripts found. The New Testament evidence for reliability is almost embarrassingly large. It includes about 4500 Greek manuscripts beginning about A.D. 125.

Fact # 4

The books of the Bible originally had no chapters or verses. Now that is a cool Bible fact.

Fact # 5

The Bible, in whole or in part, is now available in more than 1100 different languages and dialects.

Fact # 6

In the earliest days of English Christianity the only know Bible was the Latin Vulgate, made by Jerome between A.D. 383 and 405. This version of the Bible could only be read by the clergy.

Fact # 7

When Queen Elizabeth died in 1603, the crown was passed on to James I, who had been king of Scotland for 37 years as James VI. Several months after he began the pursuit of a new Bible translation. It was completed in 1611 and is now know as the King James Version.

Fact # 8

The authors of the New Testament appealed to their audience because they all had first hand knowledge of the Person of Jesus Christ.

Fact # 9

The two Testaments form two volumes of one work. The first is incomplete without the second and second cannot be understood without the first. Together they are Gods revelation to man of the provision He had made for human salvation.

Fact # 10

The theme of the Bible is the same in both the Old and New Testaments. It is the redemption of man.

Pastor Kent Janz is the Senior Pastor of McDougal Chapel in Sundre, Alberta, Canada. For fun, he also likes to work on his website called [http://www.basic-bible-knowledge.com/index.html]Basic Bible Knowledge.

I hope you enjoyed the article.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?10-Facts-About-the-Bible&id=1784375] 10 Facts About the Bible

Author: Roy Thomsitt

For most of us brought up in Western societies, Christmas long ago became a commercial extravaganza. Over recent decades the commercial impetus has intensified, with Christmas coming to the shops earlier and earlier, until now it arrives in full frontal mode, as soon as the kids go back to school after the summer holidays.

Each decade that has passed since the 1950’s has seen bigger, brighter and more extravagant Christmas decorations, both indoors and outdoors. For those who love Christmas lights and other decor, that’s great, but there’s another side to the story. Decorating the home has become an obligation, which for the very poor can be something of a problem, as neighbours and friends try to outdo each other.

Perhaps the greater problem, though, can be with Christmas gifts. Children have developed greater and greater expectations over the years, and this brings with it pressures on adults, and parents in particular, to pile as many gifts as possible under the Christmas tree, whether they can afford it or not. Often, poorer families cannot afford it, and the financial pressures, fed by the social pressures, mount as Christmas Day nears. All these pressures are fueled, of course, by intense advertising from September through to December 25. It is little wonder that the days after Christmas are a peak time for family break ups.

Due to the fact that most Western children expect some wonderful Christmas gifts, it is no surprise to many when they get them. Sadly, many will never learn to fully appreciate the acts of giving and receiving gifts. Once a gift becomes a routine obligation, it is no longer a gift, but a token. True generosity cannot be found in such tokens.

Hopefully, many poor and rich families will have a meaningful and enjoyable Christmas in the UK, where I come from, and in the US. Poor families in particular will find the financial pressures strongest, but it may well be that the poorer children will be the more appreciative.

Maybe some rich families will experience the fate of a birthday gift to a teenage friend of my son in England. On receiving a top of the range hi-fi system, probably worth about $3000, as a gift, he trashed it a week later, simply because he was bored. I suspect it is less likely that a teenager from a poor family would do the same.

Christmas in the Philippines

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By Lisa A Mason

How many times have you started reading an article only to find yourself looking up a word in every two or three sentences? Some writers enjoy using big words in the articles they write. After all, it’s a great way to show off how much knowledge you have, right? Using big words might be great for certain venues but the average reader searching for information on the Internet won’t benefit from this. In fact, they may not even be able to understand what you’ve written.

Your goal as a writer is to communicate with the reader, not prove how smart you are. You can’t accomplish your goal if the readers are having trouble understanding your content. Internet users want to find what they need and move on to something else. They may not have time to look up words to find their meaning while in the middle of another search. It can get annoying very quickly so instead the reader will often click away to new information that’s easier to understand.

Big words can also make reading the article more difficult. The words won’t flow properly, making it awkward to read the sentences. This will also discourage readers and send them in search of new information. Using big words incorrectly is also a problem many writers encounter. When this happens, it hurts your credibility. Readers may wonder how reliable the rest of your content is if you’re using words improperly.

There are times when using big words are appropriate and even necessary but they often do more harm than good in article writing. Use words that are simple and easy to read and your content will attract more readers.

About the Author:

Lisa Mason is a [http://www.writerlisamason.com/]freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles and the author of How to Earn a Living Writing for the Internet. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content in more than 10 years as a professional writer. See her website for a free article writing template guide as well as more [http://www.mywritingtips.com/]writing tips and info on the writing services she offers.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Should-You-Use-Big-Words-When-Writing-Articles?&id=6753531] Should You Use Big Words When Writing Articles?

By Flora M Brown, Ph.D.

The number of aspiring authors is growing as entrepreneurs, coaches, speakers and other professionals discover that writing a book increases their credibility and visibility. As their eagerness increases, however, their patience decreases and therefore many look for ways to get their books written fast.

On and off the Internet there are classes, retreats and webinars that promise to show you how to write a book in incredibly shorter and shorter amounts of time-28 days, 90 days, 5 days, a weekend and so on. How can this be? What does it take to write a book fast?

Here are 10 ways you can get your nonfiction books written fast.

1. Commit to getting your book completed in whatever time frame you’ve set.

Put your family and friends on notice that you won’t be available during this time or segments of time. Then treat this time like you would any job or school assignment. This means temporarily dropping any nonessentials from your schedule.

2. Choose a place to write that is comfortable and conducive to you.

For some, this is a dedicated room at home, without any distractions. For others the local library or coffee shop works best. Don’t wait until you afford a remote cabin in the woods or an escape to a deserted island.

3. Decide on the topic about which you’re passionate.

If you want to write a book on dieting, for example, you will have to narrow your topic considerably since there are infinite directions you can go with this topic. Your ideal diet may be one that allows you eat anything you want, but only in certain proportions. Perhaps you’ve come up with a way we can eat fast food only and still maintain our ideal weight. How about a cookie diet or ice cream diet?

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